Ms. Ishita Pateria

Ishita Pateria is a member of the British Psychological Society, Bombay Psychological Association and Counsellors Association of India. She is currently a consultant at Dr. Mashru’s Mumbai clinic. She has over ten years of clinical experience in the field of mental health including depression, anxiety, phobia, stress management, self-esteem issues, eating disorders, couple and marriage counselling, grief/bereavement management, substance abuse, compulsive addiction (including gambling, porn and sex addiction), domestic abuse, self harm, trauma, PTSD, fertility and cancer amongst others.While pursuing her Bachelor of Arts from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai in Psychology and Sociology, Ishita started her career by being a research coordinator at the psychiatry department of Jaslok Hospital, Mumbai under Dr. Rajesh Parikh. She coordinated psychiatric clinical trials involving depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and insomnia and provided cognitive and supportive care to the patients. She soon became an assistant psychologist and took patient histories and helped in diagnostics and treatment plans for the patients. She also first authored a chapter on the Role of stress in First Trimester Miscarriage: Pregnancy at Risk in A Practical Approach to High-Risk Pregnancy and Delivery, 5th edition along with Dr. Firuza Parikh and Dr. Shamsah Sonawalla. She then moved to London where she first finished a certificate course in counseling from Regents College, London followed by a Master of Science in Mental Health & Psychotherapy from St. Bart’s Hospital, Queen Mary University, London. Her thesis emphasized on the effect of divorce on mental health. During this time she worked as an assistant psychologist at Promis clinics, London where she counseled adolescents and adults suffering from various substance addictions, compulsive behaviors, eating disorders, personality disorders, self-harm, depression, and anxiety.After completing her degree, she returned back to India where she worked as a counseling psychologist for Dr. Rajesh Parikh at the psychiatry department of Jaslok Hospital, Mumbai. She counseled adults suffering from depression, anxiety, phobias, stress and eating disorders amongst others. She soon also became the counseling psychologist for the IVF department (under Dr. Firuza Parikh) at Jaslok Hospital. Here, she provided individual and couples counseling for issues including infertility, marital problems, stress, depression, etc. Ishita then decided to work with cancer patients at Tata Hospital and therefore joined an NGO – Vcare, where she counseled adults and children suffering from cancer and their caregivers accordingly.In need of further training, Ishita returned to London and pursed her second Master of Science in Counselling Psychology from City University, London. During this time, she worked as a counseling psychologist trainee at the National Problem Gambling Clinic; a NHS clinic which focused on adults suffering with problem gambling and dealt with comorbid problems including other compulsive addictions, depression, anxiety and suicide. She also worked as a counselling psychologist trainee at Each Counselling, London where she counselled women and children suffering from domestic abuse. She counselled them on matters including abuse, grief, trauma, PTSD, bereavement, depression and panic disorders amongst others. During this time she specialized in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and person-centred therapy. Ishita believes in providing an eclectic approach to her clients based on their needs and requirements by using techniques from CBT, person-centred, psychodynamic, mindfulness and motivational interviewing amongst other therapies. With her enthusiasm and dedication, she aims to maintain a collaborative and therapeutic alliance with all her clients giving confidentiality, respect, trust and commitment the utmost priority.